Is it better to drink beer or coffee at work?

Drink beer or drink coffee: the true dilemma

A great viral article debating the merits and effects of how beer and coffee affect your brain, and coffee fan Ryoko Itawa of I Love Coffee turned it into an infographic. The fascinating part is that both have benefits for your creativity at work, but at different points in the process.

Beer, as most of us know, lowers inhibition, so creativity gets a nice boost, but too much beer and you’re less than useful. Coffee, as most of us know, gives us a kick in the rear, so our energy levels go up, making it easier to execute on the creative ideas the beer brain came up with, but too much coffee, and you’re cracked out and jittery and irritable, so again, you’re less than useful. So the way each interacts with the brain matters less as to what time of day it is, rather what stage of the creative cycle you are in.

Should you show up to work drunk or all jacked up on coffee? No way, but studies show that there are benefits of both. For some people, popping open a can of PBR at the ol’ desk might feel wrong, or weird, but maybe after hours when you’re at home and brainstorming, one beer wouldn’t hurt. For others, drinking coffee sounds horrible, but perhaps a shot of espresso in your favorite latte after lunch could get your brain a little buzzed so you can execute.

The conclusion of the article and infographic is that beer makes you more creative to come up with an idea; while coffee helps you find focus to execute that idea.

Benjamin Franklin did say, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” while Ronald Reagan made the nation chuckle when he said, “I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.”

So will you drink either to boost your creativity?

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